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Difference between Actinic Keratosis and Melanoma
The epidermis of the skin develops lesions due to actinic keratosis. When it comes to skin cancer, melanoma is one of the deadliest and aggressive forms.
What is Actinic Keratosis?
Actinic keratosis develops when epidermal keratinocytes undergo alterations.
Causes and prevalence − Actinic keratosis is caused by being exposed to the sun's UV rays. The illness manifests up after repeated sunburns over time and often affects those with fair skin in their medium to late adult years.
Symptoms and complications − Areas of skin change texture and appearance, becoming rough and scaly. They often manifest as round, dry areas of skin with a diameter of less than 2.5 cm. Pink, red, or brown patches of skin are common in places that receive a lot of light, such the face and arms, and are caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays. It is a precancerous state that can progress to squamous cell carcinoma.
Diagnosis − This disorder can be diagnosed with certainty by a clinical examination of the skin and a biopsy of skin lesions.
Treatment − Ointments containing alpha-hydroxy acids or the chemical tretinoin can be applied to the affected areas of the skin. It is possible to use electrocautery to remove the skin samples for analysis. Future sun or tanning bed exposure should be avoided since this might cause the condition to persist or even worsen. The skin may be shielded from the sun by using sunblock and by wearing protective gear.
What is Melanoma?
Cancer of the melanin-producing cells (melanocytes) of the skin is known as melanoma.
Causes and prevalence − Melanoma is linked to long-term exposure to UV radiation, which can occur by spending time in the sun or using tanning beds. In recent years, melanoma incidence has increased, sometimes by as much as 6%. Those living in more sunny regions tend to experience a higher annual incidence rate. Melanoma is more common in countries that get a lot of sun, like Australia and South Africa, which both have high annual solar totals. Melanoma, like other forms of skin cancer, tends to strike the elderly, although it can also affect persons in their twenties and thirties.
Symptoms and complications − Typically, melanomas begin as skin moles. The mole is initially brown in colour but may become a cancerous red flag if it morphs into an irregular shape and grows in size. It's possible the mole will itch and perhaps bleed. Melanoma is the worst kind of skin cancer while being the least frequent. It spreads rapidly to other parts of the body. Depending on how far the disease has gone, the 5-year survival rate might be as high as 75% or as low as 25%.
Diagnosis It is common practise for a dermatologist to remove a mole that raises suspicion and do a biopsy. Biopsied skin tissue can be examined under a microscope to see if the cells have undergone a malignant transformation.
Treatment: Cancerous moles can be removed surgically; however, by the time this is done, the disease has typically progressed, requiring further treatments such as immunotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, and radiation therapy.
Differences: Actinic Keratosis and Melanoma
The following table highlights the major differences between Actinic Keratosis and Melanoma −
Characteristics |
Actinic keratosis |
Melanoma |
|---|---|---|
Definition |
Keratinocytes are damaged and changed by the skin disorder known as actinic keratosis. |
Malignant melanoma develops when a mole undergoes a malignant transformation. |
Cells affected |
Actinic keratosis is a condition in which the keratinocytes become damaged. |
The melanocytes are the cells that are damaged in melanoma. |
Cancerous |
Actinic keratosis is a kind of precancer that, if left untreated, can progress to squamous cell carcinoma. |
Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer. |
Complications |
Actinic keratosis is a skin condition that has a high potential for progression to malignancy. |
Melanoma is problematic since the cancer has a high propensity for metastasizing to other organs and tissues. |
Treatment |
Ointments containing alpha- hydroxy-acids and tretinoin are used to treat actinic keratosis, while surgical excision of afflicted regions is another option. |
Surgical removal of malignant moles, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted molecular therapy are all part of the therapeutic arsenal for melanoma. |
Conclusion
Only 10% of actinic keratosis lesions progress to squamous cell carcinoma, and even then, the mortality rate is often less than 1%. Melanoma, on the other hand, is the deadliest form of skin cancer, responsible for 75 percent of all cases of the disease.
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